mjt328

1. It can't just be offensive coordinators "figuring us out." This team literally went from one of the NFL's elite during the first 6-7 games, to historically bad over the last 3 weeks. I'm a big believer in strategy and game planning. But things don't flip THAT much by simply spotting tendencies on film. 2. It can't just be the loss of Marcel Dareus decreasing our talent on the D-Line. For starters, Dareus wasn't playing a high percentage of snaps. And most of the writers who study All-22 replays will quickly tell you that Dareus wasn't even playing well. 3. It can't just be the lack of turnovers. Although the interceptions and fumbles were HUGE boosts for helping us win those close games, it doesn't explain why our defense can't even make teams punt anymore. 4. The idea they are "tired" because the offense isn't playing well (too many 3-outs) is absolutely ridiculous. Against the Jets, Saints and Chargers, this defense has been getting gashed from the opening drive. Fatigue may be an excuse in the 4th quarter. But the Bills defense has already let up 35+ by that point. From a fan watching from his television... I see a team that WAS aggressive and flying to the ball early in the season, but is now jogging and half-a$$ing it. I see a team that WAS showing fantastic tackling technique and gang tackling opponents, but now uses arm tackles and poor technique. I see a team that WAS quick off the snap, but is now getting blown off the ball. To me, these are all very clear signs of a team that has quit. In my opinion, the REAL question isn't what happened (it's obvious from watching us play every Sunday). The REAL question is why they quit. Why did a team that was 5-2 and in full control of a playoff spot, decided to throw in the towel on a 1st-Year coach? Did something happen behind the scenes that hasn't been reported? Part of me wonders if the trade of Dareus did something to the morale of this team. Unlike the Sammy Watkins/Ronald Darby trades, which actually netted high draft picks and starting caliber players in return, the Dareus trade was nothing more than a mid-season salary dump. You have to wonder if that particular trade sent a message to the other veterans. You could also question how the trade for Kelvin Benjamin was viewed in the locker room. Here you have a coach that preaches family, but seems to want everyone from the "old guard" gone and jumps at the chance to bring in guys from his old team.

Quite simply. Quarterback is not the same as every other position. And any coach who treats them the same is a fool. The starting Quarterback is the on-field leader, and easily the most important position on the entire roster. Anyone who argues this point either doesn't know football, or trying too hard to have a differing opinion. The decision to change your starting QB should never be taken lightly. Smart coaches do everything in their power to avoid the QB controversy. Not only does it disrupt the entire timing and working of an offense, but it mentally divides the players in the locker room. Over the last week, it became very obvious how well RESPECTED Tyrod Taylor is - both in the Bills locker room and around the NFL. There were numerous players from other teams tweeting about how stupid McDermott's decision was. That should tell you something. And how our coaching staff couldn't see it (or refused to see it), is beyond me. And even if you believe Nathan Peterman is eventually going to be a fantastic QB in this league, he is still a 5th Round Rookie - playing the hardest position to transition from college to the pros in all of sports. Use some common sense. At best, Peterman was going to play OK and have some growing pains. At worst (which is what happened), he was going to crash and burn like 95% of the late-round rookie QBs to enter the NFL. There was no way Buffalo had a better chance with Peterman in the lineup.

Yes. Missing out on the playoffs (after a 5-2 start) definitely hurts. Especially with the opening other AFC teams have left us. But what REALLY hurts the most... Somehow Sean McDermott has already lost the locker room. After only 9-10 games as the coach. The players have clearly quit on him. It's not just us "getting exposed" or us struggling with the trading our top talent. The last three games, we have seen an obvious and alarming lack of effort. This is the NFL. The vast majority of games are close. Nobody gets embarrassed like this 3 weeks in a row (two against opponents with losing records), unless there is something else going on. The proof is all there. It's not technique. It's not mental lapses. It's not stupid mistakes. Teams are simply lining up, man-to-man and utterly destroying us. Defensive players aren't flying to the ball anymore. They aren't even trying to tackle the ball carrier, or trying to get off blocks. Both lines are getting physically manhandled on every snap. All these signs point to our guys not giving 100%. Despite what some fans are whining and crying, this team has talented players. I'm just convinced most of these guys just aren't trying. I'm not sure what caused it. But I'm almost certain that something happened between the Raiders and Jets game. Something that killed the morale of this team.

Yep.

"The Process" isn't about winning now vs. winning later. It's about getting rid of players that don't fit McDermott's scheme (Darby, Ragland, Taylor), don't fit his character/team-first attitude (Dareus) or simply don't make financial sense with the salary cap (Watkins). Our front office has always been looking to the future of the roster... but they also believed they could win in 2017.

I've said this before. Good coaches look closely at the talent around the locker room. They properly evaluate where players are strong and where they are weak. The gameplan is then carefully structured in a way that highlights the strengths and hides the weaknesses. Unfortunately, most coaches in the NFL are nothing like this. Most coaches are brilliant at teaching 1-2 positions, but are completely out of their element with other parts of the team. Most have only proven successful in a single scheme/system, and really don't know how to adjust to something different. Most aren't brilliant strategists or students of the game. They were just fortunate to have the right pieces at the right time, and it helped them move their way up the ranks. Rex Ryan was blasted in Buffalo for pushing HIS SCHEME onto a defense, where it clearly didn't fit. The square peg in a round hole analogy. Around the league, Ryan was considered a defensive mastermind before taking the Bills job. But in reality, he was no smarter than any other defensive coordinator. He was just fortunate enough in Baltimore and New York to have the pieces he needed to run his system. Buffalo's strengths/weaknesses were completely opposite to those Ravens/Jets teams. So Ryan was exposed. Sean McDermott's style is nothing like Ryan. He is quiet and reserved, instead of loud and boastful. He is calculated and organized, instead of wild and chaotic. He is all-business, instead of fun and free. But when it comes to the football field, McDermott is just as hard-headed, stubborn and clueless as his predecessor. Of course, instead of forcing players into his schemes, McDermott just trades them away for draft picks. The quarterback switch (just like the Sammy Watkins, Ronald Darby, Reggie Ragland and Marcel Dareus trades) was ALL ABOUT getting his guys on the field. That's what "the process" is all about. Purging players that don't fit his system, or don't display the character and attitude he wants to see.

Amazing how the Peterman crowd suddenly realized all of this teams problems cannot be pinned on the Quarterback alone. Yes the O-Line sucks. Yes the system sucks. Yes the defense sucks. It sucked when Tyrod was playing too. Benching the veteran starter with a 5-4 record was a stupid decision. Now they look even dumber going back to Tyrod with the rookie falling apart.

Usually we are midway through Season #2 before the new/fresh regime looks this clueless and lost.

When was the last time this defense forced a punt?

Rex Ryan's defense was the perfect example of "confusion" gone wrong. In trying to confuse the quarterback, his own players were often caught out of position and unsure of where to be at the snap. Jim Schwartz used a relatively simple defense. His D-Line was loaded with talent, so he just let them go straight up against blockers. More often than not, the Bills defenders won those matchups. The less talent you have, the more you need to rely on scheme to confuse your opponent.

I disagree with most of the posters here. I'm pretty sure Tyrod Taylor does have trade value around the league. Despite what some fans claim, there are actually a lot of great qualities about Taylor. He's easily the most mobile quarterback in the league, and a dangerous weapon that defenses must always account for. He almost never turns the ball over. He is a hard worker and great teammate. Many Bills fans only want to know "Is he a franchise quarterback?" If the answer is no, they are ready to move on to the next guy. And I can't blame them for that mentality. But the franchise QB pile in this league is very small. Teams looking for quality passers run out of options pretty quickly. That's why mediocre guys like Ryan Tannehill get massive extensions. That's why free agents who have done nothing like Mike Glennon get huge contracts. That's why teams will trade two drafts worth of picks for a strong prospect. That's why journeymen like Josh McCown and Ryan Fitzpatrick are never short of work. Taylor's cap hit in 2018 is relatively small (just over $8 million). Once the dust clears on free agency and the draft, I could see some teams getting desperate. Assuming the Bills land their guy, and assuming they like Nathan Peterman to step into the backup role next year... there may be a market for Taylor. I wouldn't anticipate it going higher than a Day 2 pick, but the idea that nobody could possibly want him is foolish.

It was obvious the Bills coaching staff/front office wasn't 100% sold on Tyrod Taylor back in the offseason, when they were considering letting him walk out the door. This is not something that has popped up suddenly after a few bad games. The problem is, Taylor still almost certainly gives us a better chance to win than Nathan Peterman. And until the Bills are knocked out of playoff contention, the goal is still winning. Not trying to develop a 5th Round rookie. Regardless of what Peterman may have done against preseason 3rd stringers, or in garbage time with a 40 point deficit... it's not going to be anything like that against a real/regular season defense. Look how great Mitch Trubisky and Deshone Kizer played in the preseason. Once Week 1 kicked off, they looked like lost rookies. Sure. Maybe Peterman will find immediate success when the real bullets start flying. But the odds are very much against him. Even if he turns into an eventual starter in the NFL, it will probably come with severe growing pains. Unbelievable as it seems, the Bills still have a very realistic chance at landing a playoff spot. Maybe that means nothing to everyone expecting a quick exit on Wild Card Weekend. But I'm a believer that 17 Years is mentally looming large over this franchise. From the owners, to the front office, to the coaches, to the players, to the fans, to the entire city. The pressure in that locker room to JUST make the 6th seed is tremendous. I think that landing a playoff berth in McDermott's first year (especially when everyone expected us to totally tank) may have better long-term benefits than most would give credit.

All the scenarios for making the playoffs seem to be falling into our lap. The problem is... the Bills still have to win at least 4 more games this season. There are still 4 games against teams with losing records. But at this point, I'm not sure the Bills stand a chance against any of them (and that includes the Colts).

I would like to think this news gives us an advantage. But after watching us the last 2 weeks, the Chargers could probably just run the ball up the middle every play and score a touchdown on pretty much every drive. Our D-Line is soft, our linebackers are slow, and everybody on defense forgot how to play tackle football. It also wouldn't surprise me to see a backup QB drop 30 points on us.

Trying to work the facts to fit an agenda. Yes, Tyrod Taylor was pathetic yesterday. There was no excuse for his play. Even when the Bills were trailing by multiple touchdowns, he was still throwing short of the markers on 3rd Down. I'm not personally a believer in benching him for Nathan Peterman, but after performances like yesterday, I may be getting there. With that said, the defense was equally horrific yesterday. It had nothing to do with the offense struggling. The Saints moved the ball every time they had it, from the opening snap on. If the defense is spent in the 4th quarter, it may be an excuse. But our defense had already let up 40+ points and almost 300 yards rushing by that point. Our D-Line was getting put on their @$$ on the first drive, and it never stopped. So quit with the bull excuse. Let's just cut the crap. If the O-Line has a bad game, just admit it. Don't try to come up with a reason why it should be blamed on the Quarterback. And vice-versa. If Tyrod plays like he did yesterday, don't make excuses. Just admit he sucked. Pretty much everyone on the team has been a flaming pile of turds the last 2 weeks. If everyone could just open their eyes, watch the game, and stop trying to fit everything to make their opinion "right" -- this board would much more intelligent to read.

Logically, the Bills are very much in the playoff race. Behold. Their competition for the #6 seed: - Browns with 9 losses. They are done. - Colts with 7 losses. They are pretty much done. - Broncos with 6 losses and would lose a tie-breaker with us. - Jets, Texans, Chargers with 6 losses. Unsure about tie-breaker. - Bengals with 6 losses, but would win tie-breaker. - Raiders with 5 losses, but would lose the tie-breaker. This leaves the Ravens (5 losses) and Dolphins (4 losses with game tonight against the Panthers) as our primary competition. Both of these teams suck pretty bad. The Dolphins schedule is just as tough as ours, and they play us twice. But of course, the Bills are the physical manifestation of a sports choke job. They have literally been the NFL's worst team for 2 weeks in a row. They other AFC teams are practically shoving a playoff appearance down our throats, and the Bills are vomiting it back on all of their fans. The look on Sean McDermott's face says it all. He just found out what being the coach of the Buffalo Bills means. He was on top of the world to start the season, thinking he was the cure for our pathetic franchise. Then his team forgot how to play tackle football. There are no answers Sean. It's all downhill from here.

For anyone talking about "garbage time"... Tyrod had plenty of garbage time himself. But he kept dumping the ball off short of the 1st down marker, and throwing the ball over receivers heads. I'm not looking to make a change now, but his game today was beyond pathetic.

I'm baffled how this defense could look so good for the first month of the season. It's not just Marcel Dareus being traded. It's not just EJ Gaines or Ramon Humber being hurt. It's not just being out-schemed by the opponents. This team had a strong pass rush early in the season. They haven't sniffed the quarterback in weeks. There is absolutely no pressure on the quarterback. Not from Jerry Hughes. Not from multiple Pro-Bowler Kyle Williams. They are getting no penetration. They aren't getting leverage. They aren't pushing the pocket. We might as well drop 11 into coverage, because I can't imagine it costing us much in pass rush. The rush defense has been abysmal. And again, it's not just missing Dareus. I was watching defensive linemen and linebackers get blown 5 yards off the ball. Giant holes everywhere. Our team went from excellent tackling, to suddenly missing everything. How can the SAME players who seemed to understand their assignments, making technically sound tackles -- suddenly turn into such a sloppy mess. It's like everyone on defense suddenly forgot how to play tackle football.

We may be a pretender... but the playoffs are still within our grasp.

It wouldn't surprise me at all. I could very much see them having a big win Sunday. The Bills are coming off their worst loss of the year. The Saints are probably due for a letdown. The Bills are at home in the cold, where they seem to be playing much better. The Saints are a dome team playing out in the cold. It looks like a good combination of circumstances. The real question is whether the Bills are ready for the "long haul" and can play at a high level for the next 8 games. If they want to make the playoffs, they need to match the results from their first half. They probably need to go 5-3. Against a much tougher schedule. The Bills played exactly one team with a winning schedule (Panthers) and lost that game. They have four games against teams with winning schedules (Patriots 2x, Chiefs, Saints) in the second half. They absolutely MUST beat at least one of those teams, and then run the table against everyone else. If the Bills go 4-4 or less, they will need to get wins against the right teams and hope for lots of help elsewhere.

I'm a big believer that "elite" defenses absolutely NEED to have a great D-Line. And right now, we just aren't getting enough production from our front 4. Maybe Washington has improved his game, but I'm still not seeing enough. This team's pass rushing has been pathetic, and the run defense has been overrated.

The problem with investing high $$ or draft picks into Wide Receivers before getting a quarterback, is that you don't know what kind of receivers you need to have on the team. Right now the Bills only have big/possession targets. Which is OK if you have an offense that doesn't press down the field much. But if you have a big-armed QB, you really want to get some speed on the outside. If we continue running an offense similar to this one (West Coast style), I'm OK with re-signing Matthews. I'm not one of those guys who believes much in adding a speed guy just for show/decoy purposes. Just get big and reliable targets who can keep the chains moving.

Looking at current records and remaining schedule, I think there will be quite a battle for the #6 spot. (Unfortunately, I see either the Jags or Titans easily nabbing the first wild card). The Bills have the best record at 5-3, but their schedule is brutal. The Dolphins have the next best at 4-4, but their schedule is equally brutal. Out of the mess of 5 loss teams (Jets, Ravens, Bengals, Texans, Raiders, Chargers, Broncos), it's the teams in the North with the easiest remaining games. Everybody else has some pretty tough upcoming games, and not much wiggle room. If the Dolphins beat the Bills twice (which is possible and exactly what they did last year), there is a really good chance they get that last spot.

Yes. The Bills are in a worse position than the other 5-3 teams. (I'm only paying attention to the AFC, because I'm concerned with our playoff positioning). Here is why: 1. The Bills are in the same division as the Patriots. So we are already drifting behind what is still one of the NFL's best teams. The Chiefs still have a 2 game lead in the West, and the Titans/Jaguars are tied for their division lead. 2. The Bills have a very tough schedule coming up. The other 5-3 teams have it pretty easy. 3. The Bills have a long history of strong starts in September/October, only to watch the wheels come off in the final months. Fans sadly aren't surprised to see us choke to the lowly Jets on a November 2 prime time game. 4. Almost everything about our strong start is starting to look like a fluke. The defense is getting progressively worse as the season presses on. None of the teams we beat now have a winning record. Our team looks hopeless without lucky bounces and tipped passes.

At this point, let's say our main competition is Jacksonville or Tennessee, and Miami. Everybody else has a losing record, and we have at least a 2 game lead on them for a wild card. Both Jacksonville and Tennessee have very easy schedules down the stretch. One will almost certainly win the south division, and with such easy schedules, it will be tough to beat out the other for one of those wild card spots. To me, this means our primary concern is Miami. And in the second half of the season, we have almost identical schedules. We play each other twice. We both play New England twice and Kansas City on the road. Miami gets Carolina and Denver. Buffalo gets New Orleans and San Diego. The Bills currently have a 1-game lead on the Dolphins. And they play them twice. The playoffs are completely in our grasp. If we are able to take care of business.